The Pharisee’s Second Mistake: Relying on Works

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

The second mistake the Pharisee (from Jesus’ parable in Luke 18:10-14) made was in thinking that he could be justified by his works. He boasted about his fasting and tithing. He thought he was good because he followed the law, but he did not acknowledge that he needed God’s grace. The tax collector, on the other hand, did.
      Grace is being treated (well) as we do not deserve. God shows His grace in favoring, forgiving, loving, and blessing us. Even before Jesus laid His life down as a sacrifice for us, people were redeemed and saved by God’s grace.
      Nothing we do can get us to a level of absolute purity before God. This is why the Pharisee’s obedience to law (by itself) did nothing to justify him. It is through God and nothing that we do ourselves (without God) that we are saved.
      Paul wrote, “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21).
      God doesn’t do things for no reason. Jesus died to bring us righteousness and once we acknowledge that we can begin our relationship with Him. It is when we seek Him and He fills us that He purifies us.
      But, if we decide, like the Pharisee, to set God’s grace aside and work our salvation on our own without seeking His help, then He will leave us to our own efforts. Of course, we will fail because we can never reach His absolute purity.
      Do yourself a favor and accept God’s grace for what you will never be able to accomplish: the pure and good status of God. He knows we won’t be perfect, but He will help us to be more like Him when we humbly approach and rely on Him.